Almost brothers

2. Pa

Kinn POV

I remember the day my Mae was killed vividly.

Flashback

The day started fairly normal. I was in third year of high school and  the most stressful thing in my life back then was my graduation.

Kim was around 10 years old at that time. It's really important to remember that.

In the morning I woke up as usual. Mae made her signature dish, Tom Yum Goong. Me and Khun Noo fought hard for the last shrimp while Mae watched us fondly. Paa was away on a business trip. I bid my goodbye and went to my school.

Around noon, I was summoned to the principal's office. I was confused at first, cause I have been a model student after my brief stint as rebel, three months back. And I became even more confused when I saw Chan waiting for me in the principal's office.

"Khun Kinn, there is an emergency. We need to leave now, please" he said in a voice that didn't make me want to argue back.

I climbed into the car and planned to question him but I didn't get the chance since he was busy talking in his ear phone.

Fine, I'll just ask Mae then.

The moment the car stopped in front of our mansion, I could feel the chaos crawling all over the place.

The bodyguards were in a mayhem, very different from their usual stoic positions. I could hear whispers tho, "Khun Korn is coming back","he is going to kill us." "Did you find Khun Thankhun yet?" "Khun Rose.."

I stood still at the last sentence.

Khun Rose as in... Mae?

I sprinted, instinctively towards the garden that my room overlooked too. Mae was a fighter, a literal one, she was the who taught Khun Noo how to shoot, she was supposed to teach me too, if she wasn't busy with that brat Ki-

Nah, I'm just overthinking, Mae is fine, Khun Noo will be fine, it's one the first he got kidnapped nor it will be the las-

"MAEEEEE!"

I thought I screamt, I thought I howled at the sight in front. It would be forever etched into my memory, burning my soul.

But Chan later told me that I fainted.

Mae was lying in the garden, multiple gun shots on her abdomen, her usually lush brown hair was matted with blood. Her floral frock was pierced by bullets. An emergency gun, which was strapped underneath the tea table was in her hands, it's empty magazine beside her. Her eyes were still open, a single tear dropping from her left eye.

But I remember seeing something peculiar before I fainted.

It was Kim.

He was only 10 years old, mind you.

He was kneeling beside Mae, holding her hand(the one free of gun).

He was staring into her eyes, even thought her blood was staining his knees.

He was motionless, expressionless.

He was a picture of 'Kim'

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If I remember the day Mae died, then the next few months were a total blur. Khun Noo was rescued a few days later and I heard that he didn't come out of the room.

Mae funeral was held a month later and that was a blur too.

And Paa...

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I don't know how it went but Paa started teaching me the business. Khun was taking a indefinite break and didn't venture out of his room anymore.

I threw myself into Paa's teachings. We were both in the same boat, our most loved one was taken away from us brutally. The only way we didn't drown in our sadness was to immerse ourselves in work. I didn't care about anything else, study and help paa.

I occasionally heard about the meltdowns of Khun Noo. But I didn't know how to console him.

But Kim totally slipped out of my mind. No feeling of jealousy anymore. I don't care if he plays guitar better than me or looked prettier than me. Whatever. It was peaceful anyways.

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About 5 years later.

My graduation was over 2 years back. I was more involved in the business. I had a great boyfriend, Tawan. I missed my Mae but I could atleast think of her without me tearing up. I didn't see Kim anymore although we lived in the same house.

Until one day I saw him.

I was coming down the elevator to attend a business meeting when there were hushed whispers from the bodyguards. I followed their line of sight when I saw him standing at the entrance of the mansion.

Kim was in a black tank top and black pants. Blood was spilled on his face like ruby freckles. Blood was on other places of his body too but I concentrated more on his face.

Because I couldn't look at his hand which was holding something.

He was holding the decapitated head of Mae's murderer.